The hallway is teeming with activity as I walk toward my first class Monday morning. I ignore the looks directed my way as I have been since I transferred here, but something about a few of them make the hairs on the back of my neck stand on edge.
There’s more hostility in them now. Not just the usual indifference I’d grown used to last week.
I’m not winning any popularity contests this year, not that I expected to being the new girl, but I have a feeling the camping trip is why I’ve suddenly earned the extra attention, in particular from the girls of this school. If looks could kill, let me tell you, it’s like I just walked onto the set of Mean Girls and every girl walking past is another Regina George with their eyes locked on me, marking me as prey.
I shiver and cast a quick glance over my shoulder as I head to my English class. Spotting Silvia and a group of her friends, I step to the side, hugging close to the lockers to avoid her, but of course she sees me, and before I can slip into my first period, she’s shoving her way through the crowded halls right toward me.
I cringe. This isn’t going to end well.
I’d kind of expected a confrontation up at Shadle Creek and was relieved when one never happened, but it looks like she’s been biding her time and now this seems to be her golden opportunity to put the new girl in her place.
Her upper lip curls into a sneer and four more girls close in beside her. I brace myself for whatever verbal lashing she has to offer, knowing it likely has to do with her being kicked out of the Devil’s cabin that first night, when the next thing I know, an open palm slaps me across the face. My head snaps to the side, my mouth dropping open as my hand jerks up to clutch my cheek. I barely register the sting and all I’m thinking is, WHAT. THE. HELL?
The blow had come out of nowhere. I’m so startled by the violence that I don’t react other than to clutch at my face, my eyes wide and my body immobile.
“You’re such a stupid whore,” she snarls, spittle flying toward me coupled with her vile words. All eyes turn toward us, the silence in the previously boisterous hallway deafening.
Goddammit. I can’t hit her back. Her friends have stepped forward, forming a half circle around me. If I hit her, they’ll step in and help. I don’t have friends here and I don’t feel like being jumped, but the urge to fight back has me clenching my hands beside me into tight fists as I take a deep breath, my nostrils flaring.
I step forward determined to force my way past her but she shoves me back into the lockers. My back slams into the cool metal surface and a single manicured finger lifts and points arrogantly in my face.
I grit my teeth together, refusing to rise to the bait. The shove was hard. The slap harder. But she isn’t that strong. Neither have done more than surprise me and I refuse to stand here and cower to the school’s resident mean girl.
I tilt my chin up, meeting her emerald gaze head on.
Silvia’s one of the it girls. In the eyes of the students here, she’s at the top. And I’m at the bottom. I don’t expect anyone to come to my aid, which is why I’m surprised when the crowd parts and Emilio swaggers toward me, an easy grin on his face—but I don’t miss the bright hot fury in his eyes.
He assesses the situation before him, a tick forming along his jaw and between one second and the next, I can tell he’s come to some sort of conclusion about what’s going on here.
A flash of concern crosses over Silvia’s face when she spots him before she tries to mask it with cool indifference. Hands propped on her hips she purses her lips while she continues to stare down her nose at me.
Emilio makes a noise to catch her attention before snapping his fingers like he’s just realized something interesting. “You were at the campout this weekend, right?” he asks, moving closer toward us.
When he’s only a foot away, he leans next to the lockers beside me, lifts one hand and rubs his bottom lip with his thumb as he gives Silvia a considering look as though he’s trying to place her.
She mistakes it for interest and turns her full attention toward him. Her scowl is now a seductive smile, and at this point I’m all but forgotten. “I was.” Her words are breathy. She pushes her shoulders back, ensuring her breasts are thrust out toward him before lowering her head so she can look up at him through her lashes.
I roll my eyes, at her come-hither expression. It’s so blatantly obvious I can’t imagine guys actually fall for this crap.
Emilio pushes off from the locker, his eyes darkening as he closes the distance between them. I guess her little seduction tactics really do work.
“Yeah, I remember you. I almost fucked you.” His words are husky, shot full of arrogance.
When he’s a scant few inches away, he raises his hand to cup the side of her neck, his thumb resting in the center of her throat. “MmmHmm. We can rectify that anytime you’d like.” She leans toward him as he dips his head to whisper just loud enough for our ears to hear.
“Pass. You must either be blind or stupid then, because if you were paying attention, you’d know Allie’s with us. She’s Devil property and we don’t take kindly to people fucking with what’s ours.”
His thumb presses firmly against her throat and she gasps. The skin around his grip whitens and her eyes are wide, suddenly filled with fear.
Then he releases her and steps back as if nothing happened. An easy smile slips into place and he tosses an arm around my shoulder, drawing me in to his side.
“We gonna have problems, Silvia?”
Her lips tighten, heat now coloring her face and neck.
“She’s an outsider,” one of the girls beside Silvia spits out.
It’s the wrong answer to Emilio’s question. His fists clench at his sides and he looks around the hallway, all eyes still glued to the scene in front of us.
“Ice them out,” he says to no one in particular, but heads all around us nod.
Silvia sucks in a breath as her four friends all take quick steps back, putting distance between themselves and her. “You can’t do that.”
He chuckles, but it’s a dark, dangerous sound. “I can do whatever the fuck I want. You made a mistake. I suggest you learn from it.”
She opens her mouth to respond just as another voice calls out over the sea of students.
“What’s going on over here?” A man’s voice booms through the hallway. “Break it up. Everyone get to class.” The hall empties just as the first bell rings and everyone heads to their first period.
Silvia waits for a beat before she, too, leaves, but not before I see the hate-filled look in her eyes telling me things between us are far from over. If anything, Emilio stepping in only added fuel to the fire. If she didn’t hate me before, she certainly does now.
Mr. Alvarez—the school principal—comes into view, eyeing Emilio and me warily. “Mr. Chavez, Ms. Ramirez, get to class.” He claps his hands and I jump and move to do as I’ve been told but Emilio’s grip on my wrist stops me from making my escape.
“That shit happens again, you find me. Got it?” His dark brown eyes meet mine.
“Why?” I’m so confused as to why he’d help me in the first place. Is this because I slept with his friend? Emilio comes off like the nice guy, sure. He reminds me a lot of my friend Felix back home. Which is how I know Emilio never makes a move that isn’t calculated and he had no reason to step in just now and help me.
He frowns at me. “That’s a dumb-ass question, vanilla. What do you mean, why?”
I shrug my shoulders and rather than answering him, I say, “Fine. I’ll find you.”
“See that you do.” Satisfied, he releases me and we both head off to our first class. I spot Roman waiting for me outside the door leading into English. He doesn’t say anything. His dark brown eyes meet mine but I can’t get a read on him. I know he saw what just happened but whether he cares or not is a complete mystery to me. I wish I could crack his hard exterior shell. I’m still pissed at him. He was a complete ass Saturday morning and never bothered apologizing for it afterward, not that I’d expected him to. However, I did expect him to talk to me again, but I got nothing. Not even a goodbye on Sunday as everyone drove out heading back into town.
Without a word he turns and heads into class. I sigh. I do not have the energy to deal with both Silvia and Roman today.
By lunch, the entire school is buzzing with news that the Devils have claimed me. And not just one Devil. No, though that would have been more than enough, but Emilio made sure to say ours as if he speaks for all of them, making me the property of not one asshole but three. I’m not entirely sure what being claimed by them means, but the stares and whispers have definitely increased tenfold. If I thought this morning was bad, the afternoon is even worse.
So much for flying under the radar till graduation.
I grab my lunch as quickly as possible, intending to take it and hide out in the library, but Dominique puts an end to that idea when he lifts my tray from my hands and with his own, carries them both over to the table in the corner forcing me to follow if I want to eat. I almost consider letting him just have my food. It’s not like I plan on eating much of it anyway.
I’ve lost six pounds since mom died. I should eat more but I just can’t seem to stomach it. Though I had no problems eating the albóndigas Roman made for us.
Dom sets my tray down on the table beside Roman before rounding to the other side and taking a seat next to Emilio. No one says anything about my arrival, they just dive into conversation about an upcoming game like nothing is weird about me sitting with them.
Alrighty then.
I poke at my lunch—a chicken patty with mashed potatoes and gravy on the side. The lunch lady said it was chicken fried steak day but nothing about this looks like chicken fried steak. Still, I make an effort to swallow a bite before using my fork to move things around so it at least looks like I ate something.
I spot Aaron a few tables away, his gaze trained on me. When he realizes I’m looking at him, he flicks on his mirrored shades and turns back to the guys he was talking to.
I deflate and look away only to see Roman’s gaze lasered in on me. His mouth is set in a hard line as dark brown eyes search mine. “Something going on between you and Henderson?” he asks.
I roll my eyes. “He’s my friend and he doesn’t seem all that fond of you three. That answer your question?”
Roman nods and sucks his bottom lip into his mouth before throwing an arm over my shoulder and giving Aaron a fuck-you grin. God. Guys can be such assholes sometimes.
I shrug out from under his hold. “Stop trying to stir up trouble,” I tell him, smacking his arm.
He grips my chin and turns my face toward him. I lick my lips and his eyes track the movement, hunger in his gaze. “Allie, haven’t you learned I’m nothing but trouble?”
His head dips and he presses his lips to mine. At first, it’s a soft press but then his teeth are tugging on my bottom lip, urging me to open for him. I do and his tongue darts in for a quick taste that leaves me reeling in my seat.
He pulls back, cocky arrogance stamped on his face before I catch him looking over my shoulder. I don’t need to turn to know he and Aaron are locked in a stare down. My cheeks heat and anger unfurls inside of me.
“When you decide to stop being a jerk, let me know.” I stand to leave the table but his hand around the back of my thigh stops me.
“Sit down.”
I snort and take a step but his grip only tightens. “Allie—” there’s a warning in his voice, one I choose to one hundred percent ignore.
“I’ll catch up with you guys later.”
I pull away and make my way over to Aaron’s table, knowing Roman would never follow me. Guys like him can’t be seen chasing after a girl, let alone a no one like me. When I reach Aaron, his glasses are still on so I reach down and push them up over the top of his head.
“Hey.” I pause, suddenly unsure of what to say to him. The drive back from Shadle Creek had been fine. I thought we had things sorted but judging by the look on his face, he’s still pissed.
He tilts his chin toward Roman and the guys. “You looked cozy.”
I fold my arms over my chest. “And you look mad.”
He shakes his head. “Nah. Not mad. Disappointed. But why should I be, right?”
“Excuse me?”
He stands and moves closer to me, his mouth so close his lips brush along the shell of my ear. “Every girl in this school wants to spread their legs for Roman Valdez. I just assumed you wouldn’t be one of them. My bad. From what I hear, it sounds like you’re screwing all three.”
